Hepatitis C

Causes

HBV is found in the blood or body fluids (semen, tears, or saliva) of an infected person. The virus is not present in the stool (feces).

A child can get HBV through contact with the blood or body fluids of a person who has the virus. Exposure can occur from:

A mother with HBV at the time of birth. It does not appear that HBV is passed to the fetus while still in the mother’s womb.

A bite from an infected person that breaks the skin.

Blood, saliva, or any other body fluid from an infected person that may touch a break or opening in a child’s skin, eyes, or mouth.

Sharing personal items, such as a toothbrush, with a someone who has the virus.

Being stuck with a needle after use by an HBV-infected person.

A child cannot get hepatitis B from hugging, kissing, coughing, or sneezing. Breast-feeding by a mother with hepatitis B is safe if the child is treated properly at the time of birth.

Teenagers who are not vaccinated can get HBV during unprotected sex or drug use.

Symptoms

Most children with hepatitis B have none or only a few symptoms. Children younger than 5 years rarely have symptoms of hepatitis B. Older children may develop symptoms 3 to 4 months after the virus enters the body. The main symptoms of a new or recent infection are:

Alpha fetoprotein

The provider will also check the viral load of HBV in the blood. This test shows how well your child's treatment is working.

Treatment

Acute hepatitis B does not need any special treatment. Your child's immune system will fight the disease. If there is no sign of the HBV infection after 6 months, then your child has recovered fully. However, while the virus is present, your child can pass the virus to others. You should take steps to help prevent the disease from spreading.

Chronic hepatitis B needs treatment. The goal of treatment is to relieve any symptoms, prevent the disease from spreading, and help prevent liver disease. Make sure that your child:

Gets plenty of rest

Drinks lots of fluids

Eats healthy foods

Your child's provider also may recommend antiviral medicines. The medicines decrease or remove HBV from the blood:

Interferon alpha-2b (Intron A) can be given to children age 1 and older.

Lamivudine (Epivir) and entecavir (Baraclude) are used in children age 2 and older.

Tenofovir (Viread) is given to children age 12 and older.

It is not always clear what medicines should be given. Children with chronic hepatitis B may get these medicines when:

Liver function quickly gets worse

The liver shows signs of long-term damage

HBV level is high in the blood

Outlook (Prognosis)

Many children are able to rid their body of the hepatitis B virus and do not have a long-term infection.

However, some children never get rid of HBV. This is called chronic hepatitis B infection.

Younger children are more prone to chronic hepatitis B.

These children do not feel sick, and lead a relatively healthy life. However, over time, they may develop symptoms of
chronic liver damage
.

Chronic liver damage

Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver and poor liver function. It is the last stage of chronic liver disease.

Almost all newborns and about half of children who get hepatitis B develop the chronic condition. A positive blood test after 6 months confirms chronic hepatitis B. The disease will not affect your child’s growth and development. Regular monitoring plays an important role in managing the disease in children.